ES2921852T3 - Method and system for managing and controlling the feeding of at least one yarn to a circular knitting machine or hosiery machine depending on the operating stage of the machine - Google Patents

Abstract

Described here is a method and a system for managing and controlling the feeding of at least one thread to a textile machine (2) depending on the operating step of the latter in the production of a product or in the processing of said thread, foreseeing said production or processing a succession of said stages corresponding to obtaining various parts of the same product or different treatments of said yarn, the latter being fed to said machine by a corresponding feeder device (1) at constant tension and/or speed and/or or controlled by a sensor (100) that monitors the slip or any of the characteristics inherent to it such as tension, speed, diameter, quantity and color, said sensor (100) and/or feeder being controlled by means of adjustment and control means (3) that fix the operation of the same, receiving said adjustment and control means (3) the synchronization signals of the machine (2) and detecting -according to the latter a- the aforementioned operating steps and therefore the processing of the state of progress of a product or production process, programming said adjustment of the operation based on said operating steps. The textile machine generates a unique synchronization signal for each particular operating step of the machine, regardless of the length of said step. (Automatic translation with Google Translate, without legal value)

Description

DESCRIPTION

Method and system for managing and controlling the feeding of at least one yarn to a circular knitting machine or hosiery machine depending on the operating stage of the machine

One of the objects of the present invention is constituted by a method and a system for managing and controlling a yarn or a plurality of yarns, fed by devices with constant tension and/or speed to a circular knitting machine or a hosiery machine.

In particular, although without limitation, the invention deals with the management of one or more feeders at a constant voltage and/or speed and/or one or more control sensors to obtain a product, which is obtained by means of a process generally divided into different and successive stages of production, such as a stocking or any other product, a garment or similar knitted product. Such products have portions (or specific parts, such as the heel or leg of a stocking) that are processed in specific and distinct operating steps during their production. Those skilled in the art are aware of devices with the capacity to feed a yarn to a circular knitting machine or a hosiery machine keeping the tension and/or speed of the yarn constant and uniform at a reference value called "set point". For example, in a machine such as the one for knitwear or hosiery production or tape production, a plurality of yarns are sent to the textile machine and said yarns are fed by corresponding feeders of the type mentioned above.

During the production of numerous products (for example, but not limited to, medical stockings, pantyhose, girdles), there is an increasing need to modify the set point value (in relation to tension and/or speed) of said feeder in order to obtain, in a specific finished garment, a particular effect, as occurs, for example, in graduated compression stockings or specific parts of the product (such as, a stocking) that have different characteristics (such as like, the heel or the leg) or parts of the product with decorations (like, a scarf or a sweater).

In addition, it is known that manufacturers have the need to manage the set point of the feeders depending on the particular product that is intended to be obtained and, therefore, the operating status of the textile machine or the particular operating stage of the same. in which a specific part of the product is obtained (that is, a macro area of it). Taking as a particular example, although not limiting, the stocking manufacturing industry, the need arises to define - for each specific part of the stocking, such as, for example, the shaft, the leg, the ankle, the heel , the foot, the toecap, (or any other product with parts obtained in a different way, such as, for example, swimsuits, technical garments, variable width straps, or the like) - the tension and/or speed feed for each thread used for the implementation of the operating stage during which said specific part of the product is obtained, but also only for the implementation of each operating stage in order to obtain a specific part of a specific product being processed . The need also arises to define the procedure (speed/ramp) through which a feeder device or the specific feeder device is required to move from one set point to the other when varying the production of specific parts of the product.

In this document, the term "specific part of the product" is used to indicate a portion of the product (such as, for example, to the heel, the leg or the ankle in the hosiery manufacturing industry). In relation to the sensors to control the presence of the thread or control the quality of the latter, it is known the need to activate the intervention only in some stages of production of the product, that is, during specific stages in which specific parts of the product are obtained. product; for example, in the case of stockings, this applies to obtaining the leg or heel or any other portion of the stocking, or the variation of its operating and control parameters depending on the production stages of the various parts product specific.

Currently, several possible solutions to this problem are known, valid in the case of both constant voltage feeders and constant speed feeders; thus, although the following examples refer to constant voltage feeders, they also apply in the case of constant speed feeders.

In a first known solution (document EP0619261), many feeder devices provide one or more digital inputs through which changes to the voltage at the set point can be managed (the case of small or medium diameter circular knitting machines mentions increments - INC - and decrements - DEC - or “graduations”). In this case, the operator uses one or more digital outputs, normally present in textile machines and freely programmable, in order to obtain the specific desired products; said operator uses digital signals to modify the reference value of each device in the machine's operating program (the case of small and medium diameter circular machines mentions a "chain" machine, that is, a set of commands and control that define the machine program).

However, this solution reveals numerous drawbacks. For example, the well-known solution mentioned above provides for the use of a digital output of increases and a digital output of decreases by the machine for each device or groups of feeder devices associated with them in order to allow the operator to program the set point of each device independently; thus, the solution requires a large number of programmable machine outputs, and this is not always possible. Furthermore, this solution implies that any modification, for example, of the tension at which the yarn must be controlled during a particular process, implies the modification of the machine program to manage said programmable outputs in a different way. For example, going from a tension of 2.0 grams to a tension of 5.0 grams, with the increment/decrement resolution equal to 0.1 gram, will require 30 increment pulses and, therefore, at least 30 machine program lines; Obviously, returning to the initial tension of 2.0 grams will require 30 decrement pulses and another 30 lines of the machine program.

However, it should be noted that "old" textile machines, and similarly current textile machines, are not always provided with freely programmable digital outputs; this, for example, creates problems during the “retrofitting” stage of machines already available on the market even taking into account the fact that different wiring will be required depending on the machine.

Another of the known solutions is based on the fact that most feeders instead provide a serial communication that interfaces with the control unit, usually a microprocessor, of the textile machine, through which it can The value of the reference set point can be programmed to obtain various specific parts of the product. It is clear that this solution is definitely more flexible than the previous one, but it still has the following drawbacks:

- the textile machine should already be predisposed for serial management of these feeders. Therefore, said solution is not applicable to all types of machines available on the market, in particular in the case of its application on machines of the old type;

- said solution forces manufacturers of yarn feeders to collaborate closely with various manufacturers of textile machines, since each device obviously has a specific communication protocol and depends on the required communication standard of the control unit of the textile machine;

- thus, even this solution requires modifying the machine program each time you want to modify the tension of a device in a particular area of the product.

Finally, in case of improvements in the feeder device, for example, increasing the resolution of the system or adding new control functions, the new functions cannot be implemented in previously operational machines without requiring the intervention of the manufacturer of the latter with in order to intervene in the software to manage the feeders.

Document EP2067886 discloses a system that has the objective of guaranteeing the quality of a finished textile product by controlling the consumption of LFA (length of yarn absorbed) of each feeder present in the textile machine, measuring its value and thus ensuring that it coincides with the pre-established value, assimilated or fixed by action on the adjustment voltage (set point) of the feeder. Basically, a control algorithm modifies the value of the operating voltage of each feeder to keep the value of LFA constant.

To function in this way, the known system foresees an interconnection with the machine, albeit a very simple one, consisting of a physical or virtual start signal (ZERO signal) and a periodic signal of the progress status of the process. In its simplest version, the system executes an LFA control and, in this way, a voltage change of each feeder in each garment manufactured (end of cycle); instead, in a more complex version, the control can produce at various points of the garment using the combination of two synchronization signals (end of cycle plus periodic signal) to define the processing point in a unique way.

In this way, the system provides a table in which the global LFA values (fixed or assimilated) are recorded at each instant of the production cycle of each feeder. These values are then later used as a reference to decide how to modify your operating voltage based on the measured quantity.

US2008/256983 provides a complex and direct synchronization of a plurality of yarn feeders using a textile machine. The priority document has the objective of providing a system capable of constantly communicating with the textile machine in order to receive - from it, information regarding the enabling and disabling of the individual feeders, which would not be able to feed the yarn to the machine. textile machine in an independent and autonomous way without these enable and disable signals. Such a control system requires absolute synchronization with the textile machine.

In this prior art text, the need to program corrections in relation to the management signals of the feeders in order to adapt their enabling and disabling signal to make the system functional with respect to the variation of the various types of yarn, for example. The text describes lead, lag or start signals at feed speeds different from the actual ones in order to avoid straining the yarn, for example during the start or stop steps. In this way, the feeders described in document US 2008/256983 show their inability to function autonomously and, therefore, the complexity of the system to manage these feeders in the face of yarn variation (for example, yarn with different elasticity) , before the variation of the distance of the same with respect to the point of insertion of the thread in the textile machine and before the variation of the types of machine.

US2008/256983 further describes the use of a voltage sensor to turn individual feeder devices on and off; this in order to obtain a first reference map to enable and disable the feeders that will be used later, complementing the data with the previously described lead and lag values.

Said known system has the considerable drawback that resides in the fact that it has an assimilation/control stage, during which the system is not under control. Obviously, said criticality is even more limiting in reference to applications in circular machines with a large diameter (machine for knitted garments) where a stage of this type can be extremely long (sometimes reaching 30 minutes).

Document WO 2013114174 in the name of the applicant and to which the preambles of the independent claims of this document refer, describes a method and a system for managing the feeding of a plurality of yarns with constant tension and/or speed to a circular knitting machine. The yarns are fed to said machine by means of a corresponding plurality of feeding devices; to them are connected adjusting means adapted to fix their operation. The control means receive a synchronization signal - from the machine - referring to the beginning/end of the complete processing cycle of the product and a synchronization signal of the state of progress of the process that, for example, in the case of a circular machine, corresponds to the implementation of a complete or partial rotation (for example, 4 pulses per rotation) of the cylinder of said machine. According to these signals, the adjusting means detects each operating stage of a production cycle or the process progress state of a product or a production process. In the case of a circular knitting machine, in particular, the aforementioned control means receive at least signals referring to the completion of a full or partial rotation of the cylinder of said knitting machine and, according to the plurality of said signals, establishes in an absolute and definite way the state of production progress of the product or the part of the product in question.

This prior art document foresees the division of said complete production cycle into different stages by means of corresponding synchronism signals (PRX) generated, for example, in the case of a circular machine, by executing a complete or partial rotation of the corresponding cylinder. The control means intervene in each feeding device as a function of said steps (progress status of the process) or said synchronization signals so that said device feeds and/or controls the respective yarn with a predefined and peculiar tension and/or speed. each of said stages and, thus, each part of the product that is intended to be obtained. In fact, for each product production cycle corresponding to the obtaining of each part of the latter, values are set for at least one characteristic of the yarn fed by each feeder device, selected from among at least the tension, the speed and the presence of the thread.

Said control means program these values of the aforementioned characteristics as a function of said steps whose activation by the machine is defined and detected through the aforementioned synchronization signals generated continuously by said machine and received by said control means in each process progress.

Document WO2013114174 foresees that the values of each characteristic of the fed yarn are recorded in a table in a memory of the control means so that, for each part of the product produced (defined by a synchronization signal PRX), for each complete rotation or part of the cylindrical element of the machine and for each feed device, a data set is provided that can be used to compare the corresponding current value detected by the interface, for the drive and for the control unit of the feed device.

In the aforementioned table, the finished product is defined by a plurality of said signals having a series of numbers from 1 to N, where the signal PRX=N corresponds to the last part of the finished product or the end of the production of the product. product. In this way, the table is made up of as many production steps as there are synchronization signals PRX; these stages define the lines of the aforementioned table, thus corresponding to different phases of production of the product, that is, the production of each part of the latter (linked precisely to each rotation of the cylinder, in the case of the circular textile machine, as indicated on page 9, lines 5 to 9 of document WO2013/114174).

An example of the aforementioned table is shown below.

The objective of the document of the prior art in question is to provide a system that allows normalizing the production of a garment, creating a table, for example, that contains the tendency of the tension of the set point of one or more feeders during the Obtaining each individual part of the garment based on the state of progress of the process. In this way, said voltage corresponds to each individual synchronization signal (or at least to a group of said signals received continuously from the control means and each necessarily corresponding to a production of an individual part of the product).

In the case of the prior art in question, the tension to be used is the parameter that allows obtaining the garment with the desired characteristics. For example, in a graduated compression stocking for medical use, the table contains tension values to be used to obtain the desired compression in the various parts or at the various points of the stocking (the compression in the specific part of the stocking being the stocking defined by the ankle potentially different with respect to the compression present in the specific part of the product defined by the leg...).

Furthermore, since the interconnection with the machine is very simple and does not depend at all on the model of the machine, the manufacturer or its technical characteristics, the prior art document actually proposes an abstraction procedure that allows creating an article that is easy to transfer from one machine to another. In addition to not depending on the type of machine, said system does not depend on the model of feeders used.

However, document WO2013114174 provides that each synchronization signal (for example, generated by the machine to produce stockings at each rotation of its cylinder) is used to control feeders or sensors. Thus, this subordinates said control to the actual obtaining of the synchronization signals and the plurality of said signals corresponding to the length of each individual part of the manufactured product or the length of each individual operating step corresponding to said individual part of the product. product. For example, in the case of the production of stockings of various sizes, different rotations of the cylinder must be set for the same parts of the stockings depending on their sizes, so that said different settings lead to the production of the different desired stockings. In this way, the need arises for different programs for the same average, which obviously implies a greater complexity of management and probability of error on the part of the operator.

For example, when the same type of stocking is produced, but of different sizes, so the number of the PRX synchronization signal for each area is variable (for example, referring to the table above, the PRX of 60 is associated to the LEG instead of the PRX of 40), the user is forced to modify the Table and therefore always know precisely the PRX number associated with each area.

In this way, the invention of document WO2013114174 continues to show a drawback in its application since, although to a lesser extent, said application is always linked to the knowledge of the precise duration (number of PRX synchronization pulses) of the individual portions (specific portions ) of the product. In addition, in the solution provided by document WO2013/114174, the change of the specific part of the product is associated with the PRX number (for example, CAÑA^ LEG, associated with the passage of PRX from 10 to 11) and therefore varies in size function; this necessarily requires different tables for each size and the operator must know and program the PRX interval for each size (example PRX SIZE_1 from 10 to 11, PRX SIZE 2 from 12 to 13, ...). In addition to programming different Tables for each size, the operator must also load different programs in response to the size variation during the processing stage. Additionally, in addition to the inconvenience and the risk of errors in loading erroneous programs, the implementation of document WO2013/114174 implies a considerably greater occupation of the memory of the control means.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved system and method for managing the feeding of a plurality of yarns with constant tension and/or speed to a textile machine.

In particular, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method and a system of the type mentioned above that allows a simpler management of each feeder in terms of both programming and interconnection with the textile machine, compared to the prior art.

In particular, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method and a system of the aforementioned type in which the control of the individual feeders and/or individual sensors occurs independently of the obtaining of the PRX synchronization signals in each specific part. of the product, allowing signals - in the prior art - to know the length of individual operating steps or individual parts of the product; this regardless of the length of the individual specific parts of the manufactured product, while maintaining said differentiated control for each individual operating step or for each individual specific part of the product.

Another objective is to provide a method and a system of the type mentioned above that allow flexible management (or different programming for each feeder device) without requiring the use of resources or programmable outputs of the machine.

Another of the objectives is to provide a system and a method of the aforementioned type that allows the management of feeder devices in any circular knitting machine or stocking machine, even one not predisposed for said function.

One of the additional objectives is to provide a procedure of the type mentioned above with the capacity to allow the generation of the operating program of the machine or "chain program" in a simple and intuitive way for the operator without the latter having to worry about the methods of intervention in the feeders, but only the result in the finished product.

Another objective is to provide a system of the type mentioned above with the capacity to allow the manufacturer of the feeders to design them independently of the circular knitting machines or hosiery machines in which the operation of said devices will be required, thus allowing the manufacturer to continue developing and improving the product or family of products thereof, without having to worry about the possible difficulty of compatibility with circular knitting machines or stocking machines, already operational or not, to which said feeders will be connected, since no predisposition is required in said machines, except for the generation of at least one single synchronism signal at the beginning of the controlled operating stage. In fact, such availability is already provided in the machine to the extent that it could correspond to the activation of a thread guide, a solenoid valve or any other device of the machine or any other function of the machine.

It is an additional objective to provide a system and a method of the type mentioned above with the capacity to allow obtaining products with "ornamental patterns" in a simple way for the operator, where the expression ornamental patterns is used to indicate a portion (repetitive or random ) on the specific part of the product being processed for example where the operating voltage or speed (i.e. set point) varies repeatedly or randomly (for example 2.0 ^ 2.5 ^ 1.5 ^ 2.5 ^ 2.0 or random sequence relative to voltage).

Another object is to provide a method and system of the aforementioned type that can be standardized so that they can potentially be used with any model of circular knitting machine or hosiery machine, of any brand, model or year of manufacture.

These and other objectives which will become more apparent to those skilled in the art are achieved by a system and method according to the appended claims.

For a better understanding of the present invention, the following drawings are attached to it, by way of non-limiting example, in which:

figure 1 shows a diagram of a system obtained according to the invention;

Figure 2 shows a table indicating a possible mode of operation of the system according to the invention.

Referring to the aforementioned figure 1, it shows several devices 1 for feeding yarns (not shown) to a textile machine 2, said devices possibly being identical or different from each other. Figure 1 also shows sensors 100 adapted to monitor at least one characteristic of each thread fed, such as the tension, speed, diameter, quantity and color thereof or the like.

The textile machine is of the type adapted to manufacture a product. However, in a way not according to the invention and not falling within the scope of the claims, the teachings of the invention could also be applied to machines for preparing spinning where each individual yarn is subjected to an operating cycle ( for example, twisting, texturing, doubling, interlacing) that continues to comprise operational steps to obtain specific parts of the product or individual complete treatments from a plurality of treatments to which the yarn is subjected, different from each other, in the production cycle: for For example, for the production of a reel, the areas or stages of production could be bonding, winding with layers exhibiting different operating stresses, doffing, or repetitive or random ornamental patterns obtained during the production of the reel.

All the devices 1 and 100 of figure 1 are connected to the control and interface unit 3, preferably of the microprocessor type. Said interface unit 3 can have or be connected through a connection 10 (of any type, electrical or serial), to the screen 11 and/or a keyboard 5 through which an operator can enter or select different modes of operation. operation of unit 3 and program the operation of each device (power supply or sensor) connected to it.

The control and interface unit 3 is adapted to program and manage the devices according to the various operating modes of the machine. As mentioned, said devices can be of the same type or of a different type from each other (constant tension yarn feeder, constant speed yarn feeder, sensors to control the tension or speed of the yarn). The management and programming of said devices preferably occurs through a serial line 4 that is connected to the unit 3, to simplify and thus reduce the costs of wiring the system, in particular when the number of devices 1 and 100 is particularly high (such as, for example, in the case of medium and large diameter circular knitting machines).

The invention (method and system) is based on the fact that, in almost all textile production processes, for example, in small and medium diameter circular knitting machines, the production process can be divided into a series of production cycles repetitive, where a production process corresponds to the production of a single item of clothing (for example, a stocking).

In each production cycle, a plurality of operating steps can be identified to obtain complete specific parts of the product, for example, in the case of a stocking, specifically, the heel, the leg, the foot, etc. In this way, in each of said operating steps that lead to obtaining a specific part of the product corresponding to the latter, it is possible to identify production threads adapted to obtain individual "parts" of each specific part of the product or individual "sections". of the product that, together with similar and consecutive sections, define the latter.

Taking this consideration into account, it is foreseen that the unit 3 works by receiving - from the textile machine 2, through electrical or serial connection lines 7 and 8 - at least one synchronization signal that uniquely identifies each operating stage. adapted to define at least a specific part of the product, allowing this as long as said unit 3 identifies in an absolute and unique way the state of progress of the textile machine process.

Said synchronization signal can be obtained through any electrical signal, a frequency modulated signal, an amplitude modulated signal, a variable duty cycle signal, a pulse sequence, a logic signal or an analog signal. However, it is such that it identifies the beginning (or end) of a specific operating stage of the machine (area) with which said signal is correlated to define the beginning (or end) of the production stage of a specific part of the product.

Therefore, the machine 2 is predisposed to generate, through its usual programmable control unit in which the steps to produce a product are memorized, said synchronism signal each time a machine starts (or ends). individual specific part of the product or an individual operating stage of the machine that produces said specific part of the product. This applies to each article of clothing or product obtained.

In this way, by maintaining the generation of said unique synchronization signal for each stage in order to produce a specific part of the product, the textile machine signals the repetition of the stages required for the complete production of a single product and thus the repetition of the production of several products to the control and interface unit 3.

More particularly, the unit 3 receives - through at least one connection line (electrical or serial) 10 - data referring to the processing area (or what is indicated by MACHINE PROGRAM in FIGURE 2 in column A) , since they are combined in the "OPERATING SCHEDULE" (shown in column B of FIGURE 2) associated with the item being produced or in relation to specific programs or activations for each device; Said data was previously saved in a memory present in the unit. As mentioned, said product provides in fact specific parts of the product (clearly identifiable portions of the product) obtained using different yarns or with the same yarn, although fed to the textile machine with a different tension and/or speed to obtain said specific parts. of the product with characteristics (for example, strength, compactness or aesthetic characteristics) different from the specific adjacent parts of the product.

The programming of said data or operating program allows the unit 3 to set and control the operation of each individual device 1 or 100 through specific methods that are depending on the type of device and depending on the product manufactured, the stage of production of the same and of the thread used for its production. Such uploading occurs, for example, via a PC connected to unit 3, via a USB flash storage drive, SDI cards, an Ethernet connection, a Wi-Fi connection, or similar devices (identified - by way of example - with a block 11 in the figure).

The "operational program" provides a table of the type indicated in figure 2. It is provided by an operator and provides for the division of the individual production cycle of a product into different operational stages for obtaining different specific parts of the product (for example, a stocking: shaft, leg, ankle, heel, foot, toe) and the programming/activation of each device is defined for each specific part of the product.

In the case in question, see figure 2, some areas are provided (ZERO, CUFF, LEG, HEEL, FOOT AND TOE) corresponding to the aforementioned specific parts of the product, to two feeder devices (FEEDER_1 and FEEDER_2) and to two sensors to control the presence of yarn (SENSOR_1 and SENSOR_2). It should be noted that, in the table of figure 2, each area has a corresponding signal (generated by the machine) which, in the example, is a unique number for each area (shown in the MACHINE CODE column). For example, it is generated by four digital outputs (binary code), thus allowing the capacity to manage up to sixteen areas and an unlimited number of feeder devices 1 and sensors 100.

According to said division, the operating mode is defined for each device, that is, each characteristic of each wire fed is defined, such as the operating voltage, its speed, as well as the enabling or disabling of each feeder 1 and its parameters of control, ...

In this way, the unit 3 drives and controls each device 1 depending on the selected operating area of the machine (MACHINE CODE from table 2) according to the programming table.

Thus, the invention allows the operator to manage each device 1 or a plurality of devices in an extremely simple way: in fact, it is enough to fill in the table of figure 2, specifying the behavior of the individual device or of a group of devices before the variation of the operating areas indicated in column A of said figure. In this way, unit 3 will program and manage the devices: for example, in the case of a constant voltage feeder, the control algorithm present in unit 3 will manage the possible passage from one voltage (and/or speed) to another taking advantage of the maximum resolution (or the minimum programmable voltage) of the device to be managed.

The operator will simply specify the need to pass, for example, from a tension of 2 to 5 grams and it will be the control algorithm, instead, that will decide the "ramp" of passage from the first to the second tension depending on the type of controlled device. Using a unit 3 operating according to what has been described, it becomes extremely easy for the operator to even intervene and modify the final result when the article is defined. It will not be necessary to act on the machine program (column 2A of figure 2), but merely on the data of column 2B of said figure, stored in unit 3 and associated with the article being manufactured.

In this way, unit 3 works according to a procedure that foresees the division of the operating mode to obtain each product in a series of production stages corresponding to each specific part of the product, said production stages being identified through signals of exclusive synchronism or synchronization corresponding to each operating stage of the machine or any area of the product being manufactured.

In other words, during the production of each specific part of the product corresponding to a specific operating stage of the machine, the machine generates a corresponding synchronization signal. (shown in figure 2, column A through a MACHINE CODE 0 to 5). Said signal is received by unit 3 which activates/deactivates each device associating it to the corresponding process of the program (figure 2, column B).

Said operating condition for each device lasts until the machine generates another synchronism signal, corresponding to the production of a different specific part of the product. This succession of stages continues until the product has been completely obtained, and then resumes from the stage destined to obtain the first specific part of the product, the one indicated with ZERO in the table of figure 2 and, therefore, , corresponds to the beginning/end of a production cycle.

In this way, according to the invention, a single synchronism signal is detected which leads to the programming and/or activation or deactivation of each device 1 for each specific operating step corresponding to a different specific part of the product. Thus, the unit 3 fixes and controls the operation of the latter and the mode of intervention thereof on the thread; thus, unit 3 can manage each specific part of the product in a differentiated manner.

Thus, taking into account the above, it is evident that unit 3, which works according to the methods corresponding to the data contained in the table in relation to each area of operation, and which knows the operating stage of the machine by analyzing the signals of synchronism received, it is capable of modifying the operating methods of each device depending on the progress status of the process; in fact, the control unit 3 will merely be required to modify its operating methods (for example, setting the operating voltage for a constant voltage supply) on each of these signals, for each connected device 1 or 100. If modification is not possible, unit 3 generates an alarm for the operator and stops the textile machine.

Since the “operating program” (see, table in figure 2, column B) is the result of data set in unit 3 in a decoupled manner with respect to textile machine 2 and feeder type 1 and/or or sensor 100 connected, it is evident that the operating data of the unit 3 can be set in a differentiated way depending on each type of device 1 or 100 or possible hardware/software version of the connected feeder device, thus allowing the spinning continue to develop your products regardless of the need to maintain compatibility with the particular textile machine to which they should be attached or with other feed devices connected to that machine.

In a more advanced version of the implementation of this procedure, in addition to generating a single signal for each specific part of the product, the machine can generate another synchronism signal (PRX) based on the position of an operating element of the textile machine such as such as, for example, the cylinder of a circular knitting machine or hosiery machine, in the operative stage corresponding to the production of said specific part of the product.

The algorithm could possibly use this information to manage a voltage ramp or voltage modification mode/speed. For example, in the table in Figure 2, column B, in the CANE area of FEEDER_1 the operator indicates a request to go from 2.0 grams (the tension present in the previous area) to 5.0 grams in 10 rotations of the cylinder. Instead of being generated by the machine, the additional timing signal PRX could instead be retrieved from the machine via a proximity sensor capable of intercepting cylinder rotation.

In any case, since the stages are not affected by the sizes of the article (or the rotations of the cylinder in a hosiery machine, for example) since the synchronism or synchronization signals are generated, each of them, at the beginning (or at the end) of each operational area of the product (and can even last throughout the entire work cycle), the feeding system and the procedure remain unchanged for each size of product obtained, where the transition from operating stage of each device 1 occurs, for example, with regard to voltage with time ramps that can even be adjusted and programmed in each area (see FEEDER_2 in the LEG line of the table in figure 2) or with ramps depending on the progress status of the process in the operating area through synchronism signals (PRX).

In particular, said devices may be of a different type, the same case applying to feeders with constant voltage, of the positive or accumulation type, with fixed or rotating drum, or feeders with constant speed.

The table in figure 2, column B, also shows the programming of a sensor to control the presence of the yarn, in which the sensitivity to be used to control the yarn is selected and if the control should be active, depending on of the operating stages of the machine.

The "operating program" can be optimized in terms of space (memory occupancy), for example by indicating - for each operating area - only the operations with respect to the previous operating area, or by making each column (FEEDER_1) corresponds not to an individual device but with a group of devices that carry out the same activity.

In a further alternative solution, the table for setting the voltages as a function of the progress status of the process could be contained in the memory of each device 1 and the synchronism signals could reach device 1 directly or through unit 3.

In another variant, the screen and/or the keyboard 5 acts as a control unit 3 and is directly interconnected with the feeding devices 1 and receives the synchronism signals from the machine 2.

In a further variant of the invention, the display and/or the keyboard 5 is outside the control unit 3 or is not present at all.

Finally, according to a further variant, a first device 1 of the plurality of devices contains the unit 3, so that the other devices 1 of said plurality receive the settings of said first device 1. In the mode in which the unit 3 also controls the operation of each feeder device, if it is contained in the aforementioned first device 1, the latter drives and controls the operation of all the rest of the feeder devices mounted on the machine.

The invention allows controlling the feeding of a yarn or a plurality of yarns to a circular knitting machine or hosiery machine obtained with a higher level of abstraction with respect to that of the prior art and in particular that of document WO 2013/114174 and regardless of the length of each area of operation of the machine, thus allowing to have a single Table to control said feeding before the variation of the sizes, with which the programming of the devices is simplified.

The invention does not require knowing the length of each specific part of the product and the corresponding operating steps of the machine to obtain it for each size, due to the fact that the change with respect to the area of operation depending on the specific part of the product is produced automatically according to the code of the area of operation activated by the machine program. In this way, the change of size occurs automatically without requiring any selection by the operator, thus eliminating any risk of error.

Thus, in the machine program of any model/make, the operator will merely be required to program a unique signal for each specific identical part of the product for any type of stocking/product and size. Finally, the memory consumption of the control means is considerably low.

The description deals with an embodiment of the invention applied to a circular knitting machine or hosiery machine that works with several yarns fed by means of corresponding devices 1 and 100.

Claims (13)

1. Procedure for managing and controlling the feeding of a yarn or yarn or a plurality of yarns with constant tension and/or speed to a circular knitting machine (2) or a stocking machine, said feeding being obtained according to the different operating stages of said circular knitting machine or hosiery machine (2) that are carried out during the production of a product, said production comprising a succession of said operating steps that define a complete production cycle, each yarn or yarn or plurality of yarns being fed to said circular knitting machine or hosiery machine by means of a corresponding feeder device (1) with constant tension and/or speed and/or controlled by a sensor device (100) adapted to control the tension or speed of the yarn, the identification being of each individual operating stage of the production cycle of the circular knitting machine or hosiery machine carried out through a synchronization signal generated is given by the circular knitting machine or stocking machine (2), said procedure being characterized in that: - each individual operating stage produces a specific part of the product, said individual operating stage being identified through the generation of a unique synchronization signal by the circular knitting machine or hosiery machine at the start or end of production of the part product specific, - particular and fixed values of said yarn or yarn tension or yarn or yarn speed being associated with each of said operating steps, said fixed values being recorded in a table; - said values being memorized in adjustment and control means (3) to which said feeder and sensor device (1, 100) are connected; and - said adjustment and control means intervening in the aforementioned feeder device (1) and sensor device (100) to define the values of said yarn or yarn tension or speed for the yarn or yarn fed and controlled in correspondence with the values memorized to obtain said specific part of the product, - said unique synchronization signal being used by said adjustment and control means (3) to act on each feeder device (1) and sensor (100) in order to allow said feeder and sensor to control and/or feed the yarn or yarn or plurality of yarns, with the characteristics suitable for implementing said individual operating stage in such a way that said specific part of the product is obtained, so that said adjustment and control means (3) uniquely identify said individual operating stage according to the synchronization signal received from the circular knitting machine or hosiery machine, the implementation of said individual operating stage being carried out to obtain the specific part of the product according to the particular and previously fixed values of the tension of the yarn or yarn or the speed of the yarn or spinning controlled by each feeder and sensor device (1, 100) for each of said operating steps. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that said adjustment and control means (3) detect current real values corresponding to the tension or speed of the yarn or yarn controlled during the feeding of each yarn or yarn or plurality of yarns to the circular knitting machine or stocking machine for each feeding device (1), generating the comparison of said actual current values with the values set a warning for the operator, stopping the circular knitting machine or stocking machine or requiring intervention in each device (1 ), in case a difference between actual current values and the set values is detected. 3. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the data referring to the tension or speed of the yarn or yarn feed are associated with the synchronization signal, which uniquely identifies the operating stage, acting adjustment and control means (3 ) on said feeder and sensor device (1, 100) to adapt each tension or controlled speed of the yarn or yarn fed to each individual operating stage. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the single synchronization signal corresponds to an operating step to which is associated a plurality of data relating to the feeding and/or control of the yarn or yarn or plurality of yarns and the inherent tension or speed. 5. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the unique synchronization signal is defined by a logic level, or one or more pulses, or one or more digital signals, or a variable duty cycle signal, or an analog signal or a serial communication. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that, in addition to the single synchronization signal that defines each operating step, an additional synchronization signal, which depends on the position of an operating element of the circular knitting machine or hosiery machine, such as a rotary cylinder of a circular knitting machine it reaches the control and adjustment means (3) from the circular knitting machine or hosiery machine and in said operating stage. 7. Method according to claim 6, characterized in that said adjustment and control means (3) alternatively use the additional synchronization signal or a time interval that can be programmed in each operating stage to manage an automatic tension ramp or a delay of the control stage of one of the yarn tension or speed. 8. System for managing and controlling the feeding of a yarn or yarn or a plurality of yarns with constant tension and/or speed to a circular knitting machine, or stocking machine, said system being adapted to operate according to the method according to claim 1, said feeding being obtained according to different operating stages of said circular knitting machine or hosiery machine (2) carried out during the production of a product, said production comprising a succession of said operating stages defining a complete production cycle, the system comprising a feeder device (1) that feeds a thread or yarn or plurality of yarns corresponding to said circular knitting machine or stocking machine with constant tension and/or speed, with a sensor device (100) adapted to control the tension of the yarn or yarn or the speed of the thread or spinning, with adjustment and control means (3) connected to said device being provided. tive feeder (1, 100) to set and control its operation, said adjustment and control means (3) receiving synchronization signals from the circular knitting machine or stocking machine (2), characterized in that the synchronization signals correspond to the start and end of each operating stage, said synchronization signals being suitable for producing a specific part of a product, the adjustment and control means (3) being suitable for acting on said feeder device (1) and sensor (100) according to each of said synchronization signals received from the circular knitting machine or hosiery machine (2) so that the aforementioned feeder device (1) or sensor (100) feeds and/or controls the respective yarn or yarn or plurality of yarns with a predefined and specific tension and/or speed of each of the mentioned operating stages, being fixed for each aforementioned operating stage predefined tension and/or speed values and specific to the yarn or yarn fed by each feeding device (1), said fixed values of each characteristic of the yarn or yarn fed being memorized in said adjustment and control means (3), each individual synchronization signal corresponding only to each of between a plurality of operating steps of the circular knitting machine or hosiery machine to produce a specific part of the product, the sum of said said operating steps corresponding to the production of a complete product. 9. System according to claim 8, characterized in that the adjustment and control means (3) are a control and interface unit (3) interposed between each feeder device (1) and/or sensor (100) and the circular knitting machine or hosiery machine, said unit being programmable. System according to claim 9, characterized in that each individual feeder device (1) and sensor (100) is connected to the control and interface unit (3) alternatively through one of the following methods: - a serial communication, - electrical signals adapted to recognize hardware controls generated by the aforementioned unit (3), such as INC, DEC, enable/disable signals or the like. System according to claim 9, characterized in that said control and interface unit (3) is part of a device for feeding the plurality of feeding devices (1). 12. System according to claim 8, characterized in that said feeding devices (1) are at least among the devices for feeding the yarn or yarn or plurality of yarns with constant tension, also comprising accumulation feeders with a fixed or rotating drum, yarn feed detection devices and devices for controlling the tension or speed of the yarn or yarn or plurality of yarns fed. 13. System according to claim 8, characterized in that the synchronization signal is alternatively a signal characterized by a logic level, or by one or more pulses, or by one or more binary code digital signals or by a duty cycle signal variable, or by an analog signal, or by serial communication.